Improvement in pump-pistons



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IMPROVEMENT IN PUMP-PIS'IONS.

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lT O ALL WHOM IT MAY CON CERN l Be it known that I, HENRY S. HOPKINS, of Boston, .in the county of Suffolk, and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Pump-Boxes; and I do hereby declare that the following, taken in connection with the drawings which accompany and form part of this specification, is a description of my invention sulicient-to enable those skilled in the art to practise y The invention relates to the construction ot' pumpboxes or pistons, and consists. primarily in packing the box with a packing made of wooden segments, the joints between which are broken byblocks-set loosely in matched recesses in the adjacent surfaces oi' adjacent segments, the segments beingl pressed outwardly by suitable springs inserted between the segments and the vsurface of the b arrel of the box, and being kept from end movement by the ilanges of the box.

The drawings represent a box embodying my invention. l .A shows a. side view of the box and its packing; B, a vertical section through the packing; C, a horizontal section through the packing. adenotes the barrel around which the packing is arranged; b, the 'ange'sg d, the` box or piston-rod g. e, a portion of the pump-cylinder or chamber in which the box works. f denotes the packing. This packing is composed o f a series'of segmentshaped blocks, g, made of wood, with the abutting or adjacent edges matched, and forming, when brought together, a cylindrical tube of external diameter corresponding to or very nearly to the-diameter of the anges b andthe chamber in which the box works.l Each segment is m'ortised on its exterior surface at two'ofits corners, the adjacent mortises in each two segments brought together-matching' and. forming a recess, into which a thin segmental block, h, is placed, the circumferential surface of this block corresponding witlrthe cylindrical surface of the vsegments and the block by crossing from one segment to the other, breaking the joint between, as sjeen at A. Each segment g is pressed outwardly by a suitable'spring or springs placed back ofit, between the barrel a and the segment, and, by means. of the segments and springs, the packing is kept at all timcsp'ressed closely against the-surface of the chamber in `which the box runs, the blocks permitting the segments to expand without opening 'any'joint by the side ofthe box, and the flanges keeping all the pieces in proper relative position. As a substitute for hemp or fibrous packing,

I have found this construction to lbe very efficient and valuable, especially in pumping salt water. The wood l.

does not rot as does hemp, and the wearlof the surface is very slowend slight. The box is much better packed, needs comparatively nolattention, is'clieap, easily made, and very enduring.

'lo expand the segments, or to keep them pressed outwardly, I prefer tol use rubber springs applied as `ollows: Each segment g basin its inner lsurface arecess, z', in which are loosely placed cylindrical or tubular pieces of rubber It, which are compressed by the segment when the box,"after the segments are arranged betweenits flanges, is pressed into its chamber, and the springs then keeping the segment pressed outwardly against the surface of the chamber, as will be readily understood. l'

One long spring, horizontally placed, may serve for each segment, but I prefer to use two or more, as described. The springs are very enduring, never break, accommodate themselves to tlie surfaces against which they act, und are always ellicicnt and reliable, being in ull those respects much superior to any form of metal springs for the lpurposeherc shown.

It will be obvious'that the number of segments used may be varied according to size orothcr conditions in a piston-box. In a pump-box or piston oi" twenty-'four inches diameter, that I"havo in use,vare thirteen main segment pieces, which number may be increased or diminished as boxes vary in size or diameter, and as may be found most practical in suchvariations. l

In making and applying the segments, I water-soak the piecesnfter they are formed, fitting the last piece in accordance with the degree to which the whole circle of segments is expanded by the soaking.

I claim, in combination with the ilanges Z, the segmental 'pacliingpieces g pressed outwardly by springs, and thejoint-blocks-t, constructed and arranged to operate, substantially as set forth. l

I also claim, in combination with the segments g, the rubber springs 7c placed loosely in the recesses z', and

pressing the segments outwards, substantially as set forth.

' HENRY S. HOPKINS.-

Witnesses:

- J. B. CnosnY,

FRANCIS GoULn. 

